michaelcrichton

For the final book I finished on my honeymoon, I read Michael Crichton’s ‘Sphere’.

Until now, I’d only ever read Crichton’s ‘Jurassic Park’ novels. But I’d seen ‘Sphere’ recommended in horror circles, particularly for water-based scares. Considering my wife and I were on our beach honeymoon, I wanted some oceanic terrors on the holiday.

The novel opens with a psychiatrist flying out to an isolated spot in the ocean. The navy has picked him up and flown him out without information. Our protagonist believes an aeroplane has crashed, and he needs to help the survivors. But it turns out that an alien craft rests on the ocean bed, and experts think it’s been there for 300 years.

The story races from there. In typical—from what I’ve read—Crichton fashion, there’s a lot of good science in the novel. Crichton is the master of the suspension of disbelief, and ‘Sphere’ is no different. The novel rockets past at breakneck speed, and the finale is breathtaking. I won’t spoil too much here, but the book met my marine horror expectations.

Crichton puts much research into his books, and I can’t wait to read more of his bibliography.

Given what I’ve read so far, I doubt he’ll disappoint.

Book 18 of 2023 is Michael Crichton’s “The Lost World”.

A four-year-old dinosaur-obsessed Joshua saw a movie in ’97. That movie, of course, was the summer blockbuster, “The Lost World: Jurassic Park.” It was everything kid Josh wanted in a movie. Years later, as an adult, although I recognise the first film as superior, I still have a soft spot for the sequel.

I read Crichton’s “Jurassic Park” a while back—sometime during one of the lockdowns—and liked it. I came to the odd conclusion that I preferred the movie. Spielberg refined and focused the book’s ideas and crystallised them. I can say the same about the sequel, for the most part.

But that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the book. I loved it. Crichton’s power lies not in writing but in worldbuilding and storytelling.

A fair few parts differ from the movie. The entire premise has a different angle, as John Hammond dies in the first book. A friend of Ian Malcolm is trying to find out where these strange animal corpses are coming from. Surprise, surprise, these turn out to be dinosaurs. Some parts of the book are better—such as Sarah Harding’s character and the dinosaur variety. Some bits are worse—such as the T. rexes’ attack on the trailer and the velociraptors in the long grass. I also preferred Ian Malcolm in the movie.

But, all in all, I had a great time with “The Lost World”. Crichton might have penned it for the movie sequel, but that’s where the book shines. The best parts are the realistic—ish—ways the plot unfolds and the big, bombastic setpieces.

Much like the book’s tagline, I can say this about my love of dinosaurs:

Something has survived.

Tag: michaelcrichton

Book Review: ‘Sphere’ by Michael Crichton

Book Review: “The Lost World” by Michael Crichton